Light rail promise: Transport Department promise to reduce property impact at Palm Beach
The Transport Department may have responded to claims that up to 300 properties will have to be resumed for light rail but that’s only kickstarted fresh debate. JOIN THE CONVERSATION
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THE Transport Department say its key aim in consulting on the southern route of light rail will be to reduce the impact on property owners.
The Bulletin has asked the Department whether claims by area councillor Daphne McDonald that between 200 to 300 properties would be resumed or have portions removed, were correct.
But a Transport and Main Roads spokesperson said the government’s main aim apart from reducing the impact from light rail on residents was maintaining their privacy.
However that only reignited debate for Bulletin readers on Facebook.
Brendan took a satirical approach.
“Like an episode of ABC Utopia..... let’s build an outdated form of transport, but to justify the numbers required to make it “feasible” we will need to further develop the area to increase the population,” he wrote.
“What a farce! Even Infrastructure Australia reports this project isn’t justified on the expected financial return. This is our money being wasted when it could be better spent elsewhere.”
Emma Kidd said: “Taking away people’s homes and businesses in the name of progress is disgusting. You get cheated out of a decent selling price and have to settle for well under the value of the property.”
Michelle Ann added: “They did this same thing to a family in Uplands drive Parkwood, when the first phase went through. Turns out they didn’t need it anyway.”
Diana Prince wrote: “I’m not sure what’s worse? Having your house resumed or now being on the border with a tram line instead of having a neighbour behind u to block the noise from the GC Hwy.”
WHAT THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SAID
“We have started work on a preliminary business case for Stage 4 of light rail planning from Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta, via the Gold Coast airport,” the spokesperson said.
“As Stage 4 planning progresses, minimising property impacts will be a key objective. We understand issues around property impacts are a sensitive matter and officers approach each case with the utmost compassion.
“The registered letters sent to property owners last week are not resumption notices. They are sent to identified stakeholders and are an important first step before broader community consultation can begin.”
The letters to property owners either confirm and advise the change of the highway planning category to Category C status, or in the majority of cases that the category was in place.
Category C planning is “protected planning” which acknowledges no current funding or delivery programs for the project.
Category D on the department’s website has been described as “protected and funded planning” where the work was approved and funded for construction, and could be found on an investment program.
Asked about Cr McDonald’s comments, the TMR spokesperson said: “We are committed to protecting the privacy of property owners and do not supply details of potential property impacts or discussions with property owners.
“Plans are being made for extensive community consultation to begin mid this year. We are already engaging with interested stakeholders who have contacted the department and Minister (Mark) Bailey’s office,” the spokesperson said.
“Specific details regarding the timing and location of consultation are being determined and the community will be involved. We are committed to giving everyone the opportunity to participate in the consultation process, to ask questions and provide face-to-face feedback.”
The Bulletin has asked whether the multi-modal study, requested by Cr McDonald, would be made available.
“Technical reports are specialised confidential documents produced for specific clients including TMR, which we do not routinely release,” the spokesperson said.
“Any funding decision on the Stage 4 extension will be the subject of further planning studies and a detailed business case which would include all known property impacts and cost estimates.”
Cr McDonald has yet to respond to questions from the Bulletin about where she obtained the figures and the locations of properties impacted.
EARLIER
A CITY councillor estimates 200-300 properties on the southern Gold Coast will be either resumed or have sections removed due to light rail being built south of Burleigh.
Palm Beach city councillor Daphne McDonald sent out the post on her Facebook page four days ago after she said she had received calls from concerned residents.
The residents had received correspondence from the Department of Transport and Main Roads advising of land requirements along the Gold Coast Highway from Burleigh to Tugun.
“I understand there are between 200 to 300 properties that have or are being advised that portions or all of their properties will be required,” Cr McDonald wrote.
Anti-rail campaigner Karen Rowles’ comments on Light Rail Stage 4 labelled ‘dangerous’ by TMR
The letters referred to a multi-modal study that Cr McDonald said either she, groups or residents had been unable to obtain from the department.
A TMR letter to a Gold Coast Highway resident shown on her Facebook page indicated the site could be a “possible future land requirement” but “at this stage there is no committed timeframe or funding for a future project”.
The Bulletin sent several questions to Cr McDonald asking how she had obtained the estimate of property resumptions, and whether it was from Main Roads or residents.
Cr McDonald was also asked where the properties could be resumed, whether they were limited to Palm Beach or around the tram route going down the Gold Coast Highway.
The Bulletin also sought to find out her opinion on whether resumptions could be avoided and whether this could be achieved through consultation, how many residents had contacted her to complain about their property being resumed, and her advice to them.
Cr McDonald’s staff indicated the councillor had “appointments throughout the day” but she would make comment at some stage. She had not returned calls by deadline late on Tuesday.
The state transport department had earlier warned anti-tram protesters on its Facebook page to stop “dangerous” scaremongering after residents talked up housing resumptions on the future southern track.
TMR posted: “Heard a rumour that resumption letters are turning up in Gold Coast mailboxes? It’s not true — they aren’t resumptions’ notices. The letters are to make sure our stakeholders who are directly affected by the Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4 know what’s going on *before* (sic) we head out to consult with the wider community.”
Stage 4 of the light rail is proposed to run from Burleigh Heads to the Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta. The government’s preferred route is coastal along the Gold Coast Highway.
The department said that planning was at a stage where officers wished to talk to stakeholders who might be directly affected by the tram extension south.
“We’ll let you know when it’s time for the broader community consultation but we’re not there yet — so please don’t confuse the issue by spreading rumours or misinformation,” TMR said.
The post prompted anti-light rail campaigner Karen Rowles to respond with at least 32 replies in a marathon blitz that started last Friday night and continued until Monday morning. She has mocked the government’s consultation process.
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